# Why doesn't CPS have incearn?

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/why-doesnt-cps-have-incearn/2358>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 28, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/why-doesnt-cps-have-incearn/2358 "2018-05-28T01:46:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![smokey17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@smokey17](https://forum.ipums.org/u/smokey17)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/why-doesnt-cps-have-incearn/2358/1 "2018-05-28T01:46:00Z")

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Hi – I’m wondering why IPUMS CPS doesn’t have incearn but IPUMS USA does? If I add incwage, incfarm and incbus on IPUMS CPS would I get incearn?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![JeffBloem](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/jeffbloem/32/40_2.png) [@JeffBloem](https://forum.ipums.org/u/JeffBloem)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/why-doesnt-cps-have-incearn/2358/2 "2018-05-29T15:01:00Z")

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The source data for IPUMS USA (US Census) and IPUMS CPS (US BLS) are different, and therefore the variables do not exactly overlap. The [INCEARN](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/INCEARN#description_section) variable in IPUMS USA reports the total of all personal earned income. In IPUMS CPS the [INCTOT](https://cps.ipums.org/cps-action/variables/INCTOT#description_section) may be the single variable that is most closely related, identifying total personal income, but could be slightly different since it includes unearned sources of income. Combining [INCWAGE](https://cps.ipums.org/cps-action/variables/INCWAGE#codes_section), [INCFARM](https://cps.ipums.org/cps-action/variables/INCFARM#codes_section), and [INCBUS](https://cps.ipums.org/cps-action/variables/INCBUS#codes_section) should be a close approximation to total personal earned income, but will not necessarily perfectly replicate INCEARN.